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“But he has to!” Charlie insisted. “You can’t let him get away with this. And you’re clearly not going to the cops with this. Why not, by the way?”
“Because we have nothing substantial on him,” Bones said. “Her father’s death was already ruled an accident. Arnold was legally elected to the board and his marriage to her mother…everything was legal. Everything seemed above board.”
“And if you did have proof, you’d turn him over to the authorities?” Charlie pressed.
When Bones didn’t speak right away, I looked up at him.
“We got married to put an immediate stop to it,” Bones replied instead of answering her question.
“How the hell is marrying her protecting her?” Charlie asked. “He could still try and hurt her.”
“He could,” I agreed. “But he won’t. Because if I die, the company will be dissolved, and the patents sold. Arnold doesn’t gain anything by coming after me anymore.”
“And you married her so she could have access to the controlling seat on the board, thereby neutering Arnold and all his power.”
“Yes. That’s why he married me.”
“I married you because I love you, Duchess. The other shit was just a reason to push the timeline up.”
I sent him a tender look and then I returned my attention to Charlie.
“I’m sorry we couldn’t tell you what was going on. We didn’t even tell my mother until after I’d already assumed control of the company yesterday.”
“Has she forgiven you for usurping her right as the mother to watch her daughter get married?” Charlie asked.
“Enough, Charlie,” Bones stated. “You’ve made your point. You’re pissed you didn’t get to see her get married.”
“No.” Charlie shot up. “That’s not what this is about. I get why you had to do all the secrecy shit. You couldn’t let Arnold know about your plan. That all makes perfect sense. I didn’t get to do the thing that best friends are supposed to get to do.”
“Wear an ugly dress and do the chicken dance?” Bones drawled.
She glared. “No, I didn’t get to have my one-on-one talk with you about how you should treat my best friend, or else, talk. And for the record, Hayden never would’ve made me wear an ugly dress.”
I nodded. “It’s true. I would’ve let her pick her own dress. Despite the headache it would’ve caused.”
Bones let go of my hand and walked to the other side of the room to the chair. He took a seat. “Okay.”
“Okay what?” Charlie asked in confusion.
“You want to have the talk. Let’s have the talk.”
“I’m not having the talk with you while she’s present,” Charlie said, snapping her spine straight. “I’m going to sound bloodthirsty, and I might go feral goblin on you. I don’t want her to see that side of me.”
“I’ve already seen that side of you,” I said with a smile. “I can handle it.”
Charlie shook her head. “Nope. I will not budge on this. Bones and I are having this conversation in private, or I won’t come to the party your mother is throwing for you.”
“How do you know about the party?” I asked in surprise.
Charlie rolled her eyes. “Please. That woman was deprived of a society wedding. She’s throwing you a party.”
“Name the time and the place,” Bones said. “And you can give me your best friend speech.”
“Noted.” Charlie sat up straighter. “Now can you give me and my girl some alone time to talk?”
Bones rose. “You know she’s just going to tell me everything you talk about, right?”
“She will not,” Charlie stated. “We have an iron pact. Layers of secrecy.”
